Reconveyance vs. Satisfaction of Mortgage: How Your Lien Is Released in Florida After Payoff
October 1, 2026 · 8 min read · By Onias Derilus, Broker
Florida does not use deeds of reconveyance. Here is how a satisfaction of mortgage works after payoff, the 10-day and 60-day deadlines in Florida law, and how to fix a release that was never recorded.
What is a reconveyance? It is the document that releases a lender's claim on a home after the loan is paid off in states that use deeds of trust. Florida works differently. Here, home loans are secured by mortgages, and the release is called a satisfaction of mortgage. If you moved to Palm Beach County from a deed-of-trust state, or you plan to sell a home you paid off years ago, it helps to know how Florida handles this step. A missing release can hold up a closing, so it pays to check before you list.
Key takeaways
- A reconveyance releases a deed of trust. Florida uses mortgages instead, and the release is a satisfaction of mortgage.
- Under Florida law, a mortgage is a lien on the property, not a transfer of title.
- After a loan is paid in full, Florida law gives the lender 60 days to send the release for recording.
- A lender must send an estoppel letter within 10 days of a written request.
- If a lender never records the release, a title insurer may be able to record a certificate of release for loans of $500,000 or less.
What is a reconveyance in a deed-of-trust state?
In many states, a home loan uses a deed of trust. The borrower, the lender and a neutral trustee are all part of it. The trustee holds a form of title as security until the loan is repaid. When the borrower pays off the loan, the trustee signs a deed of reconveyance. That document "reconveys" the interest back to the borrower and clears the lender's claim from the public record.
So when people ask what is a reconveyance, they are usually asking a simple question. How do I prove my loan is paid off and my home is free of the lender's claim? In Florida, the answer runs through a different document.
The deed of reconveyance itself is usually short. It names the trustee, the borrower and the original deed of trust, often by its recording number. It states that the debt has been paid and that the trustee releases its interest. Then it is recorded in the county where the home sits. In most of those states, the lender tells the trustee when the loan is paid, and the trustee prepares the document. That is the basic answer to what is a reconveyance outside Florida.
What replaces a reconveyance in Florida
Florida is a mortgage state. Section 697.02 of the Florida Statutes says a mortgage is "a specific lien on the property therein described, and not a conveyance of the legal title or of the right of possession." In plain terms, the owner keeps title, and the lender holds a lien.
Because nothing was conveyed to a trustee, nothing needs to be reconveyed. Instead, the lender signs a release, often titled a satisfaction of mortgage. Once it is recorded with the county clerk, the public record shows the lien is gone. For a refresher on how ownership records work, see our post on deed vs. title.
What Florida law requires instead of a reconveyance
Section 701.04 of the Florida Statutes sets the main deadlines. Two of them matter most to owners and sellers.
The estoppel letter: 10 days
Before a sale or refinance, the title company needs the exact payoff amount. Florida law says the lender or servicer must send an estoppel letter within 10 days after it receives a written request from the borrower or an authorized representative. The letter states the amount needed to pay off the loan as of a set date.
The release: 60 days
After the loan is paid in full, the lender must sign a written release of the mortgage and send it for recording within 60 days. It then sends the recorded release to the borrower or record owner. If the lender fails to do this, the statute lets the owner sue to enforce it, and the prevailing party can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs.
How a satisfaction gets recorded after a sale
When you sell a home with a loan on it, the process is usually handled for you. Here is the typical flow in Palm Beach County:
- The title company or closing attorney orders an estoppel letter from your lender.
- At closing, the payoff is wired to the lender out of your sale proceeds.
- The lender receives the payoff and prepares the satisfaction.
- The satisfaction is recorded in the Official Records of the county where the home sits.
- The title company follows up if the release does not show up on time.
Your payoff is also one of the biggest items on your closing statement. Our seller closing costs calculator can help you estimate what you will net after the loan is paid.
What to do when no reconveyance or release is recorded
Sometimes a loan was paid off years ago, but the release never made it into the public record. This happens more often than people think. Lenders merge, loans get sold, and paperwork gets lost. You often do not find out until a title search for your sale turns up an open mortgage.
An open mortgage on the record can stall a closing, because the buyer's title insurer wants the lien cleared. The good news is that Florida offers several ways to fix it.
Ask the lender or servicer first
Start with whoever holds the loan now. Send a written request with your loan number, property address and proof of payoff. Ask them to record a satisfaction. Keep copies of everything. If the loan was sold or the bank merged, the current servicer may need to track down the file.
A title insurer's certificate of release
Section 701.041 gives another path. A title insurer, or its agent, can sign and record a certificate of release on the owner's behalf in some cases. The loan must have been paid in full under an estoppel letter from the lender, and a copy of the certificate must go to the lender. This option only applies to mortgages securing loans of $500,000 or less, and it does not cover open-end or revolving credit such as many home equity lines.
Legal action as a last resort
If a lender refuses to act, a real estate attorney can explain options, including a lawsuit to enforce section 701.04. As noted, the prevailing party may recover attorney fees and costs. Most cases never get that far, but the option is there.
How to check your own records in Palm Beach County
You do not have to wait for a title search. The Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller offers an online Official Records search. You can look up recorded documents such as deeds, mortgages and liens by the names of the parties and other details.
To check your home:
- Search your name as the borrower to find each mortgage recorded against the property.
- Then look for a satisfaction or release that matches each mortgage.
- Note the book and page or instrument number of anything that seems unmatched.
If you need a certified copy of a document for a closing or a lender, the clerk's office can provide one for a fee. If your home is in Port St. Lucie or Hobe Sound, use the St. Lucie County or Martin County clerk's records search instead.
What a reconveyance means for out-of-state owners
Many Palm Beach County owners bought homes elsewhere before moving to Florida. They may still own property in a deed-of-trust state, or they may expect Florida paperwork to look the same. Here is how the two systems compare in practice:
- Document name: deed of reconveyance in deed-of-trust states, satisfaction or release of mortgage in Florida.
- Who signs: usually the trustee for a reconveyance, and the lender or servicer for a Florida satisfaction.
- Where it is recorded: in both systems, the county where the property sits.
One more tip for owners with homes in two states: keep the paperwork for each loan separate. If you sell the out-of-state home, the title company there will look for a reconveyance. If you sell your Florida home, the title company here will look for a satisfaction. Knowing what is a reconveyance and what is a satisfaction helps you ask for the right document.
Either way, the goal is the same: a clean public record showing the debt is paid. If you plan to sell, confirm that record early. Our guide to selling a house with a lien covers what happens when other claims show up, too.
Frequently asked questions
What is a reconveyance, and does Florida use one?
A reconveyance releases a deed of trust after payoff. Florida uses mortgages, so the matching document here is a satisfaction or release of mortgage.
How long does a Florida lender have to record a satisfaction?
Section 701.04 requires the lender to send the release for recording within 60 days after the loan is paid in full.
What if my old mortgage has no reconveyance or satisfaction on record?
Contact the current servicer in writing with proof of payoff. If that fails, a title insurer may be able to record a certificate of release for loans of $500,000 or less, or an attorney can advise on enforcement.
Can I sell my house if the satisfaction was never recorded?
Usually yes, but the title company will need the lien cleared before or at closing. Start early so it does not delay your sale.
Where can I find my satisfaction of mortgage?
Search the Official Records on the county clerk's website. In Palm Beach County, the clerk offers an online records search.
Sources
- Florida Statutes, section 697.02 (nature of a mortgage)
- Florida Statutes, section 701.04 (estoppel letters and release of mortgage)
- Florida Statutes, section 701.041 (title insurer certificate of release)
- Palm Beach County Clerk, Official Records
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Laws and procedures change, so consult a licensed Florida real estate attorney or title professional about your own property.
Planning to sell in Palm Beach County? We will help you spot title issues early and show you your net before you list. Request a personalized seller net-proceeds sheet or check your home value. Buying instead? Talk to a buyer's agent about what a clean title search looks like.
